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11 Critical Signs Of Manipulation In Relationships & Dealing

Discovering signs of manipulation in relationships can help you to identify whether you are being controlled by the other person in the relationship or not. Most of us are unaware of the fact that our role is just like a puppet in some relationships. Identifying and standing up for your rights is mandatory in such circumstances. In this blog, You'll get to know about critical signs of manipulation in a relationship, that appear to confirm whether your relationship is toxic or not.

What Is Manipulation In A Relationship?

The term "manipulation" describes a person's attempts to exert control over others, frequently in a damaging or deceptive manner. Psychological manipulation involves applying false or distorted pressure to alter the behaviors or beliefs of the other person. In the case of manipulation in a relationship, an individual tends to be controlled by the other person completely.

Identify signs of a toxic relationship first.

When You Can’t Recognize Yourself

Among the signs of manipulation in relationships, the first sign is when you question your potential. It can make you feel doubt about your abilities and expertise which you previously can perform conveniently. The whole scenario can make you feel yourself a problem,

When You Always Feel Guilty

Do you often feel bad or embarrassed when someone is trying to control your emotions? If it is so, then you would also frequently feel guilty for not talking or doing how you would like to, it is a warning sign.

Setting boundaries is difficult when a manipulator disapproves of something you do. Eventually, you start feeling guilty.

When Your Sense Of Self Is Blurred

The most prominent sign of manipulation in a relationship is when you start losing your sense of self after succumbing to someone else's subtle demands that you give up your opinions and interests.

To avoid conflict, you can act differently with family members if you don't feel like you can truly express yourself.

When You Are Extremely Cautious

Usually, fear is associated with a natural response to danger. However, fear can also appear as a reluctance to avoid doing or saying something to prevent confrontation or commotion.

Anger can be used to manipulate others, leading to quitting or reversing actions. Without a specific cause, you might also develop a hyperawareness of your actions or exhibit symptoms of worry.

When Your Mental Health Is Being Questioned

When you are being manipulated in a relationship, you may experience confusion and insecurity over your actions and feelings, which can lead to frustration and anxiety. Mental illness can be caused by manipulation techniques such as gaslighting, and you start questioning your mental health.

When an individual gaslights you frequently, you begin to doubt your well-being to the point where you're doubtful whether specific events occurred or not.

When You Experience Gas-lighting

When someone is gaslighting you, they could lie to you, assign blame, and downplay your feelings. They may remark that you're insane or overly sensitive. When someone gaslights you, they try to convince you that you aren't capable of expressing yourself and that your feelings and emotions aren't genuine or important. Individuals gaslight to cover up their wrongdoing and exert influence over their thoughts and behavior.

When You Experience Passive-Aggressive Behavior

A person who acts passive-aggressively doesn't convey how they truly feel, as opposed to doing so directly. Your partner may actively ignore you or refrain from talking about particular subjects as an avoidance strategy. Another indicator of passive-aggressive speech is sarcasm.

A person who is acting passive-aggressively could make unnecessarily dramatic gestures, such as pouting or sighing, to attract attention. To get you to ask them what's wrong without just coming right out and saying it, they could utilize immature emotional reactions as bait.

When You Deal With Lying And Blaming

A manipulative person will always try to avoid accepting responsibility for their actions and make you feel responsible for them. To present themselves in a better light, they could outright lie or exaggerate. They might even assign you some of the blame, which would make you question what truly happened and yourself (this is another example of gaslighting).

When You Experience Threats And Coerciveness

Someone who manipulates your emotions is coercing you—using force or threats to make you do something. For instance, if you refuse to comply with their demands, your partner may threaten to leave you.

Your partner can ominously threaten to harm themselves. They're threatening self-harm to coerce you into doing what they want. Whether they hurt themselves or not is irrelevant; self-harm must always be addressed seriously.

While maintaining any boundaries between yourself and them to safeguard your mental and physical well-being, you can support your spouse in seeking assistance.

When You Experience Withdrawal And Withholding

If your partner becomes distant from you, that may also be an indication of emotional manipulation. If you are doing something that they don't want you to be doing, they might treat you silently.

To "punish" you, even for a little offense, they could withhold information or affection. They can keep withdrawing or holding back until you comply with their demands or until you accept responsibility for an incident that wasn't your fault.

When You Feel Isolated

If any of your loved ones display hatred for or mistrust of the emotionally manipulative person, a person who wants to manipulate you may attempt to break off your relationship with friends and family.

An emotionally manipulative person, on the other hand, can attempt to win the approval of your family and friends for their gain. For instance, if your partner is aware that you desire to leave them, they can attempt to persuade your loved ones or close friends to encourage you to stay.

Your spouse can try to make you feel isolated from your network of friends and family, which would make you second-guess your decision to end the relationship.

Read more: "Nobody Owns The World" a spiritual self help book that will help you learn dealing with toxic relationships in your life.

How To Deal With Manipulation In A Relationship?

· Beware those who send out love bombs.

· Even if it seems rude, state your boundaries and self-advocacy out loud.

· Discuss the emotional manipulation with others and seek their approval.

· Instead of rushing into decisions you could regret, take your time.

After identifying signs of manipulation in a relationship, learn the ways to deal with toxic relationships.

FAQs’

What To Do When You Feel Manipulated In A Relationship?

Don't downplay the conduct if you feel manipulated in your relationship. Create boundaries, communicate with the other person, ask a mental health professional for assistance, and be kind to yourself.